Image forming apparatus which determines billing amount

Abstract

There is provided an image forming apparatus in which when printing is performed based on an electrophotographic process, counting is performed by a counter for each print operation, and billing corresponding to the kind of the print operation is performed based on the count value of the counter, and which includes, as counters, a number-of-sheet counter to count the number of sheets for each print operation, an integrating counter to integrate the counter value of the number-of-sheet counter, and a billing counter to determine billing from the counter values of the number-of-sheet counter and the integrating counter, and a multiplication rate previously stored in a data table.

1. A billing method in an image forming apparatus in which billing is performed according to a kind of a print operation, comprising:
 counting a number of sheets on which the print operation is performed from an operation start of the image forming apparatus to an operation end; 
 integrating a number of sheets printed by the image forming apparatus; 
 setting a multiplication rate weighted according to a degree of consumption of a consumable product used in the image forming apparatus, the multiplication rate can be set and changed by using a self-diagnosis mode included in the image forming apparatus; and 
 determining a billing amount from the number of sheets, the integrated value, and the multiplication rate. 
 
     
     
       2. The billing method of  claim 1 , wherein the multiplication rate varies according to each user and is set to be small for a user who uses at least one of recycled paper and backing paper. 
     
     
       3. The billing method of  claim 1 , wherein the multiplication rate varies according to each user and is set to be small for a user who uses a toner cartridge of a recycled product. 
     
     
       4. The billing method of  claim 1 , wherein the multiplication rate varies according to each user and is set to be small for a user who uses a double-sided copy. 
     
     
       5. The billing method of  claim 1 , wherein the multiplication rate varies according to an extracted information from a recycled toner by the image forming apparatus, such as the number of recycles or a use state. 
     
     
       6. The billing method of  claim 1 , wherein the multiplication rates can be stored in a memory in a form of a reference table.